


Sparring

by Tikor



Category: Exalted
Genre: Fanfiction, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 17:05:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6814585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tikor/pseuds/Tikor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two Dragon-Blooded monks practice their martial arts then are interrupted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sparring

In a sandy ring surrounded by a single stone bench which in turn surrounds a waist-high stone wall spar two of Gaia's grandchildren. Beneath the shade of cherry trees no spectators are visible, but that does not lessen the spectacle of supernatural martial arts on display. On one side of the sand stands a man on fire, clad in no more than blue hakama and wielding two wicked looking red Jade hook swords. Instead of being consumed by the flames he seems invigorated by them. His brow is furrowed and his gaze wary, aimed directly across the ring. There a figure encircled by winds of no origin nearly floats so lightly do her feet touch the sand. Sporting a repeatedly slashed and singed white robe buoyed by the gusts surrounding the wearer the Air Aspect holds her blue Jade chakram high in the stance of Mela Expectant. Her eyes are closed, her face calm. As the flaming swordsman takes a cautious first step forward, both chakram fly directly at him. Each of the projectiles are batted away by blade and pommel. Impossibly, as soon as the deflected chakram hit the sand they reappear at their source - in the hands of the Air Aspect. She too begins to run towards the middle of the arena but jumps into a lazy flip long before she is within the reach of melee. The Fire Aspect abandons the ground as well and leaps toward the Air Aspect. At the height of his jump he slashes out only to be parried by the chakram extended below his upside-down opponent. The deflected blows add to the Air Aspect's already impressive height. She sails through the air the entire radius of the ring, headed for the circular spectator bench. Slowing her somersault by extending her legs, the Air Aspect remains upside down. She throws one chakram in the Fire Aspect's general direction, missing by a wide margin, but frees the hand with which she catches the wall of the ring. Straining to keep from being thrown from the ring by her own momentum, she manages to lower herself to the ground with a spray of sand. "Careful, Lightfoot, don't want to lose on a technicality." The Fire aspect taunts as he charges then slashes. Lightfoot bends backwards with her legs up against the wall to avoid the blunt side of the hook sword blazing where her head used to be. Spinning to the side along the wall she dodges the downward swipe of the first sword's twin, which rings off of the small stone wall. Twisted and overextended the Fire Aspect still manages to use both missed swings to lift himself up and continue his twist into a spin kick that Lightfoot only avoids by backflipping around the blow. Lightfoot lands outside sword range, eyes still closed, chakram at the ready. The back of her white robe is on fire, but the flames are quickly going out in the fierce winds surrounding her. "Enough, Stribe. I submit."  
"What, I've only scorched you once!"  
"We're not alone."  
"What are you talking about. I see no on-"  
A fang of Imperial archers step up in an arc along the ring's spectator bench, bows drawn. A female voice belonging to none of them calls from out sight, "Surrender. The two of you have committed crimes against House Sesus. Out of respect to the Order I have given you a chance to come peacefully. You are surrounded, outnumbered and at the end of your Essence. I suggest you take my offer."  
Lightfoot raises an eyebrow over her shoulder at her sparring partner. Stribe changes his holds on his hook swords to show their edges instead of their blunt hooks. That is enough discussion for the two enlightened monks. Lightfoot calls back, "You have no right of arrest over the Immaculate Order, Sesus. Your lack of magisterial status has caused you to mislead these poor mortals just as your elders have mislead their prefectures."  
"The magistrates hold power at the missing Empress' sufferance. The Houses are the power of the Realm now, and we will arrest who we _please_."


End file.
